Prestonvale Tree Farms has more than 60 acres of Fraser fir, balsam fir, spruce and pine on Prestonvale Road. It opens for two days on the weekend of November 21 and 22, then closes again for the next five days. The farm's daily season starts on November 28 and runs to Christmas Eve. That makes the opening Saturday and Sunday a preview weekend, with nothing to cut again until the following Saturday.
Entry to the field closes at 4:15 p.m. every day the farm is open. On weekdays the farm opens at 9 a.m. That cutoff rules out most after-work visits, so for anyone on a standard workday, Courtice's tree season is mostly a weekend season. Those weekends are fewer than the calendar suggests, and one of them also holds the Courtice Santa Claus Parade.
The preview weekend is the earliest date anyone nearby has confirmed
Prestonvale's harvest page was updated October 11, 2026. It lists November 21 and 22, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., as the first two days. Daily hours begin on November 28. From then on the farm opens 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays.
For a comparison, Spademan Tree Farm at 545 Regional Road 21 in Port Perry has announced November 28, 2026 as its opening day. So in Courtice, the field on Prestonvale Road is open a full week before Spademan's. That suits households that put the tree up early in the season, and anyone who wants the most to choose from before the December weekends.
The 4:15 cutoff turns the season into a short list of weekends
The farm closes at 5 p.m., but entry to the field stops at 4:15. The 45 minutes in between are for cutting, carrying, shaking and baling a tree that someone already picked out. Weekday hours start at 9 a.m., so a weekday visit means a day off, a flexible schedule or a long lunch.
This leaves a short run of Saturdays and Sundays between the preview weekend and Christmas Eve, which falls on a Thursday this year.
| Weekend | Prestonvale hours | What else is on in Courtice |
|---|---|---|
| Sat. Nov. 21 & Sun. Nov. 22 | 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., the preview weekend | |
| Sat. Nov. 28 & Sun. Nov. 29 | 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., the daily season begins | Spademan in Port Perry opens Nov. 28 |
| Sat. Dec. 5 & Sun. Dec. 6 | 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. | Courtice Santa Claus Parade, Sunday at noon |
| Sat. Dec. 12 & Sun. Dec. 13 | 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. | |
| Sat. Dec. 19 & Sun. Dec. 20 | 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. | Last full weekend before Christmas Eve |
That is ten weekend days, and every one ends at 4:15 for the field. On weekends the farm opens an hour earlier than on weekdays. The 8 a.m. start leaves the most room for a household that wants the tree tied to the roof and the rest of the day free.
A flat price changes which tree is the better buy
Prestonvale prices by species. Size doesn't change the price.
- Fraser fir, any size: $85
- Balsam fir, any size: $80
- Spruce and pine, any size: $70
A tall tree costs the same as a small one of the same species. The real limits are ceiling height and how much can fit on the car. Spademan also charges a flat $85 for a cut-your-own tree of any size, tax included. Its pre-cut firs cost more, at $95 for 6 to 8 feet and $115 for 8.5 feet and up. Prestonvale also sells pre-harvested trees. Those prices vary by species and height, and the farm's page doesn't list them.
Both farms take cash only. Stop at a bank machine before you drive up Prestonvale Road, or you could lose part of an afternoon that already ends at 4:15.
What to bring, and what to leave at home
Prestonvale's rules are short and specific.
- A saw, if you have one. The farm asks visitors to bring their own and keeps cleaned saws for anyone who can't.
- A battery-powered reciprocating saw is fine. Chainsaws and axes are not permitted.
- The dog, on a leash. Leashed dogs are welcome in the field.
- Nothing extra for wrapping. Shaking and baling are free.
Spademan works the same way on the main points. It provides hand saws, doesn't allow motorized saws, bales trees, and welcomes leashed dogs.
Parade Sunday is the one weekend that holds both
The Courtice Santa Claus Parade is on Sunday, December 6, 2026. According to the organizers' 2026 package, it starts at noon on Nash Road at Townline and runs east to 4th Avenue, where it ends. Floats stage at Townline Centre behind FreshCo. Durham Tourism's parade roundup suggests bringing blankets, lawn chairs and warm drinks.
A noon parade fits around Prestonvale's Sunday hours.
- 8 a.m. The field opens. An early cut leaves time to get the tree home before noon.
- Late morning. Set up chairs along Nash Road between Townline and 4th Avenue.
- Noon. The parade steps off at Townline.
- Afternoon. If the tree waited until after the parade, field entry still closes at 4:15.
If a local business or group wants a place in the parade rather than on the curb, entry forms are due Friday, November 20, 2026. That is the day before Prestonvale's preview weekend. The package lists $75 for a local business or organization and $50 for a local dance-group float with dancers. Local schools, sports teams and first responders enter for free.
Thursday and Friday evenings belong to Santa, by appointment
The weekday cutoff on Prestonvale Road leaves one evening option north of Courtice. Hope's Christmas Tree Farm is on Regional Road 3 in Hampton. Starting in mid-November, Santa visits run Thursday and Friday evenings from 4 to 8 p.m. and weekends from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., until the last weekend before Christmas. Every visit has to be booked online, and the farm can't take walk-ins. Appointments for 2026 are open now.
Hope's tree page still lists 2025 field cutting as closed for the season and gives no 2026 cutting dates, so check the farm's site before planning a tree visit there. The Santa bookings are the part of Hope's calendar that's set for this year. A weekday-evening Santa visit fits around a weekend tree trip to Prestonvale.
At Fraser & Co., our December weekends fill up the same way as everyone's, around a farm field that closes at 4:15 and a parade that starts at noon. If the season also brings a move, a sale, or a house that needs to be ready for a tree in the front window, Fraser & Co. can help you set the order of those steps in plain terms. Speak with a Human.
